Jason Flemyng

This handsome lanky, auburn-haired British actor first came to the attention of American audience as the brash young Scottish physician who learns humanity in a small village in the period British ser...
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British pop star Nicola Roberts and actor Jason Flemyng are helping to launch a new charity campaign on Instagram.com. The former Girls Aloud singer and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Flemyng are backing the drive to encourage bargain-hunters to buy Christmas gifts from Barnado's stores in the U.K.
Participants can then upload a photograph of their purchase online with the tag #MyBarnardosFind for the chance to win vouchers for retail store Argos.
Roberts, a Barnardo's ambassador, says, "The Barnardo's retail Instagram is a great idea - it combines my love for design and fashion with my passion for the charity's work with some of the most vulnerable children and young people in the U.K."

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to judge several top independent movies as part of the jury for a London film festival. The on-the-run whistleblower will have DVDs of films vying for the awards at this year's (13) Radiance Film Festival delivered to him at Ecuador's embassy in London, where he is currently in hiding.
Radiance founder Elliot Grove tells the BBC, "We choose our jurors because they are interesting people... I think five or 10 years from now, if you are studying anything to do with social media, the WikiLeaks story will be a test case of how to manage that... Julian, like many of the film makers and judges, will be unable to attend... Fortunately he has a residence not far from where we are sitting to which we will drop off the DVDs."
Other judges at the festival, which takes place from 25 September to 06 October (13), include British actor Jason Flemyng, Portishead singer Beth Gibbons, and author Robert Rankin.
Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy after his appeal against extradition to Sweden for questioning on accusations of sex crimes was rejected. He is wanted in the U.S. for publishing thousands of top secret military documents on his website.

What’s in a name? It’s a question that plagued The Bard, and one with which we still wrestle on idle Thursday afternoons. If you scan the local multiplex listings this weekend, you may wonder what’s with the name Parker. It seems such an innocuous label for a studio actioner starring Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez. In reality, Parker is a somewhat revelatory title. Though on the surface it merely refers to its titular character, the naming of this film Parker acknowledges its connection to an entire series, with entries dotting the cinematic landscape of the last several decades. Parker is a character created by author Donald Westlake (who sometimes wrote as Richard Stark). A master criminal who lives by his own code of ethics, Parker often works with crews, and is usually betrayed by a member of his own team... sending him out on the hunt for revenge.
Many of Westlake’s novels centering on Parker have been adapted for the screen. So why isn’t Parker billed as a sequel? Or a remake? The fact is that each of the previous films adapted from Westlake’s Parker novels has changed the name of its antihero protagonist. It is therefore entirely possible that you have actually seen Parker ply his criminal trade on screen multiple times in the past, and been totally unaware of it. We thought we’d help you navigate this strange name game with a complete guide to Parker in film.
Point Blank (1967) - Parker’s alias: "Walker"
The first, and arguably best, adaptation of one of Westlake’s Parker stories was John Boorman’s Point Blank. The movie is a trailblazer in the neo-noir movement. It centers on the same basic crime story content as previous film noir, but with even grittier characters, bleaker themes, and an amplification of violence. In Point Blank, Parker is called Walker, and is played by the incomparable Lee Marvin. One of Point Blank’s greatest strengths is Marvin’s raw, powerful screen presence. When he occupies a scene, it’s a military occupation. The story is based on Westlake’s The Hunter, in which Parker is double-crossed and left for dead after a heist, and goes on a brutal, ceaseless tear to retrieve his money and get revenge. John Vernon as the villain and Boorman’s seething, unflinching tone are also paramount to Point Blank’s legacy as one of the absolute best crime films.
The Split (1968) - Parker’s alias: "McClain"
Though most cinematic incarnations of Parker portrayed him as a Caucasian male, Gordon Flemyng’s The Split showed us that this need not be the case. This time around, Parker was dubbed McCain, and was played by former NFL running back Jim Brown. Though Brown became an icon of the blaxploitation movement, The Split was released a couple of years prior to the inception of that subgenre, making his casting in the lead an even greater nod to his undeniable talent. His charisma and intimidating physicality serve him well as the leader of a gang of thieves who execute a daylight heist during a football game. The success however does not curb the subsequent paranoia and fallout between the crooks… especially when the loot is stolen. The Split, based on the novel The Seventh, is a bit less focused than Point Blank, but its supporting cast more than makes up for its inconsistencies. Ernest Borgnine, Gene Hackman, Jack Klugman, and Donald Sutherland all appear.
The Outfit (1973) - Parker’s alias: "Macklin"
Robert Duvall would take up the mantle of Parker just a year after his Oscar-winning performance in The Godfather. In John Flynn’s The Outfit, based on Westlake’s novel of the same name, Parker takes the name Macklin. He finds out, after being released from prison, that his brother has been murdered by gangsters. The Outfit is interesting in that it’s the first iteration of a Parker story to touch upon the character’s family tree, the death of his brother offering new incentive for revenge. Though not quite as exciting as Point Blank or The Split, The Outfit is a glimpse into the bare-bones, pragmatic career-criminal grind. The relationship between Macklin and his friend Cody gives The Outfit much of its personality; Cody is played by southern-fried revenge film icon Joe Don Baker.
Payback (1999) - Parker’s alias: "Porter"
Most likely the filmic Parker with whom most people are best acquainted is Mel Gibson as Porter in Payback. Another adaptation of The Hunter, Brian Helgeland’s Payback is a stylistic throwback to the golden era of neo-noir. In fact, the cinematography casts a seemingly constant distinct blue hue over the entire film; almost a film navy more than a film noir. Payback is violent, funny, and irrepressibly cool. Gibson gives us an irrefutably bad guy, a thief and con man with no compunction toward taking lives, but one with so much swagger and charm that we can’t help but love him. Interesting to note with Payback is that Porter/Parker’s ultimate fate dramatically changes depending on whether you watch the theatrical or the director’s cut.
Those are the major entries into the nebulous Parker franchise, and all films well-worth delving into before watching Statham take on the role this weekend. For the sake of completionism, it should also be noted that Peter Coyote took on the role of Parker in the wholly underwhelming 1983 film Slayground. In that movie, Parker was called Stone. Also, Jean-Luc Goddard’s Made in USA is unofficially based on Westlake’s The Jugger; his Parker was a woman named Paula Nelson. [Photo Credit: Jack English/Film District]
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When X-Men: First Class hits theaters on June 3rd, you may notice that the blockbuster series has changed a bit. The costumes and setting are different, as are the actors playing lead characters Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr/Magneto. But the most noticeable departure for the franchise is its super-powered roster. The A-team of Cyclops, Storm, Jean Grey and Wolverine are gone, along with heroes-in-training like Ice Man, Rogue and Kitty Pride. And though you’ll hear a few familiar names like Mystique and Beast, you won’t recognize their faces. Filling in for these future fighters are a new batch of mutants who join Xavier in actually founding the X-Men, and a young and talented cast of newcomers who you’ll be seeing a lot of in the coming years. Let’s take a look at the new mutants (well, not THOSE New Mutants…).
Emma Frost/The White Queen
Played by: January Jones
First Comic Book Appearance: X-Men #129 (1979)
Mutant Abilities: Various telepathic powers, including mind reading, mind control, mental sedation and psionic force bolts. In addition, she can transform her skin and hair into a diamond-like substance, rendering her nearly invulnerable.
Emma was born into a wealthy Boston family, but shunned its success and instead wished to make it in the world on her own. Guided by her ambition, intelligence and charm (not to mention her telepathic powers), she climbed the corporate ladder of big business and became the majority stockholder of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate principally involved in electronics and transportation. Her success caught the attention of the Hellfire Club, an elite secret society bent on global domination led by Sebastian Shaw, which is at the center of the conflict in X-Men: First Class. From there, she became one of the Club’s most respected members, and eventually its White Queen.
Sebastian Shaw
Played by: Kevin Bacon
First Comic Book Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #129 (1979)
Mutant Abilities: Can absorb kinetic energy and re-channel it into superhuman strength, speed and durability. He also has minor telepathic capabilities.
It’s no wonder that Frost and Shaw hit it off so well; they come from different sides of the same coin. Born to a poor family in Pittsburgh, Shaw turned his fortunes around by his mid-twenties with Shaw Industries, a company he built from the ground-up. He was quickly invited to join the Hellfire Club, and rose it ranks to become the Black King with relative ease. At this point, he planned to use its political and economic resources to further his own goals of global domination, but the X-Men surely had something to say about that…
Azazel
Played by: Jason Flemyng
First Comic Book Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #428 (2003)
Mutant Abilities: Like the video game Portal? If so, this is the mutant for you. He can teleport by opening portals from one dimension to another. He can also concentrate this portal energy to conjure devastating blasts. Additionally, he shares a mental link with all of his offspring.
Believe it or not, mutants have been around since biblical times (Jesus? Maybe?). Azazel is one of the oldest, and he’s a pretty bad dude. As ruler of the Neyaphem (demon-like mutants from the old days), he believes that Earth and everything in it belongs to him, which kind of puts him at odds with the X-Men. It’s quite strange, then, that one of his children would turn out to be one of them! That’s right: Nightcrawler, the blue teleporter from X2, is the son of this evildoer, though I wouldn’t expect him to bring that up in First Class.
Angel Salvadore
Played by: Zoe Kravitz
First Comic Book Appearance: New X-Men #118 (2001)
Mutant Abilities: They’re quite icky, actually. Angel possesses a few abilities akin to that of a common housefly. Aside from having a pair of wings that allow her to both fly and create a deafening ultrasonic sound by vibrating them, she has an insect like reproductive system that lets her lay eggs that can hatch after just five days. If that’s not weird enough for you, she can spit up an acidic bile-like substance that’s probably not too good for your skin.
Not to be confused with Ben Foster’s winged character from The Last Stand, Angel comes from a very different background than Warren Worthington III. Her abusive stepfather drove her out of her home, forcing her to sleep in the woods where her mutant abilities kicked in a formed a cocoon around her. When she woke up, she had her wings and ran into Wolverine, who took her to Xavier’s mansion. On an interesting side note, actress Zoe Kravitz, who plays Salvadore in First Class, briefly dated the fore mentioned Foster, bringing the cinematic mutant universe back full circle in a sense.
Alex Summers/Havok
Played by: Lucas Till
First Comic Book Appearance: X-Men #54 (1969)
Mutant Abilities: Havok can absorb cosmic energy into the cells of his body, transform it in an unknown manner and release it as waves of energy that heat the air in their path enough to turn it into plasma, which is a super-heated state of matter consisting of charged subatomic particles.
This is where things get tricky for the chronology of the mutant universe. You see, Alex is the younger brother of Scott Summers a.k.a Cyclops. When we catch up with him in First Class circa 1963, he’s well into his teens already. How, then, can Scott the elder brother be in his early thirties in 2000s X-Men while Alex, the younger is 16 in the sixties? I really hope that director Matthew Vaughn and his army of writers address this fallacy, because it actually has kept me up at night.
Anyway, after a tumultuous upbringing in an orphanage followed by foster care, Havok joined the X-Men and fell in love with Lorna Dane, a.k.a Polaris (who is noticeably missing from the roster). After time spent abroad together doing research, he later would rejoin the X-Men and eventually lead the second iteration of the government sponsored mutant fighting force known as X-Factor.
Armando Munoz/Darwin
Played by: Edi Gathegi
First Comic Book Appearance: X-Men Deadly Genesis #2 (2006)
Mutant Abilities: As his moniker would suggest, Darwin’s game is adaptivity. If he’s trapped in a burning building, his skin becomes fireproof. If he’s deep underwater, he grows gills to let him breathe. Get it? Unfortunately, he has no control over his powers; they are purely the result of an instinctual response. However, they have increased his intellect to near genius level.
Darwin is a relatively new addition to Marvel’s mutant universe, but no less important. His story begins in a 2006 run of comics in which he’s born to a father who rejects him and a mother who resents him. However, his intelligence got him a full scholarship to a prestigious boarding school, where he was bullied because of his wraithlike appearance. At 15, his latent abilities kicked in and he used them to fight back. It was then that he was sent to Dr. Moira MacTaggert, a renowned geneticist and friend of Charles Xavier. Eventually, all of MacTaggert’s students joined Xavier’s growing band of freedom-fighting peacekeepers known as the X-Men.
Sean Cassidy/Banshee
Played by: Caleb Landry Jones
First Comic Book Appearance: X-Men #28 (1967)
Mutant Abilities: Sean’s got a powerful set of pipes; thanks to his superhuman lungs, he can produce a sonic scream for various effects. First off, he can stun, disorient or knock someone out with his deafening shriek. He could generate sonic blasts that strike with tremendous concussive force, liquefying or outright disintegrating targets at his highest levels of power. He can even concentrate the sound waves to enable himself to fly.
Cassidy belongs to a noble line of Irishmen that dates back before recorded history. Born into a happy home where as a youngster he dreamed of heroic acts, he discovered his mutant abilities as a teen but concealed them at first, fearing for his own safety. He frequently clashed with his mutant cousin Black Tom, and the two had a longtime feud over a local girl who Sean ended up marrying. After a career in law enforcement with Interpol, Sean teamed with the X-Men to take on the rising mutant subversive organization Factor Three and, following their defeat, joining the team full time. In First Class, Cassidy will be one of the younger team members, but in comic book lore he’s actually of the same age as Charles Xavier and became a close confidante of the leader.
Janos Quested/Riptide
Played by: Alex Gonzalez
First Comic Book Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #210 (1986)
Mutant Abilities: Riptide can spin his body at incredible speeds, creating a vacuous suction that draws in nearby objects and allows him to throw objects at equally powerful velocities; chief amongst them calcified “daggers” which he grows from his own body.
Another villain who has clashed with the X-Men on numerous occasions, in the comics Riptide is a member of the mutant collective the Marauders who serve Mr. Sinister. In the film, he’s one of Sebastian Shaw’s henchmen and in all likelihood a low-ranking member of the Hellfire Club.

Mad Men star January Jones is the latest addition to Fox's X-Men: First Class, Deadline reported Tuesday. She will play the role of Emma Frost, the beautiful mutant with telepathic powers. Director Matthew Vaughn has also set Zoe Kravitz to play Angel. Further casting was also announced yesterday.
Jason Flemyng will play Azazel, the father of Nightcrawler; Bill Milner will play the young version of Magneto (who is being played in adult form by Michael Fassbender) and Morgan Lily will play the Young Raven.
The new additions join James McAvoy as Xavier, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Caleb Landry Jones as Banshee, Lucas Till as Havoc, Edi Gathegi as Darwin, Rose Byrne as Xavier's love interest and Oliver Platt as The Man in Black.
Production is to begin next week in London.
Source: Deadline, Hollywood WireTap

Update: Proving the point I just made in my original post that X-Men: First Class's casting is never, ever done, Deadline Hollywood just revealed that the distinguished Oliver Platt will be joining Jason Flemyng and Rose Byrne for director Matthew Vaughn's upcoming franchise reboot/prequel. Pratt will play a non-mutant, the enigmatically-named "Man in Black" - who, it can be assumed, has no connection to the Lost character of the same name, though I wouldn't be surprised if like Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, Pratt's "Man in Black" was part of some similarly shady (though less hilarious) government agency. That's the same kind of villainous bureaucratic role Pratt played to perfection in Roland Emmerich's recent disaster-porn blockbuster 2012, so I give this bit of casting two thumbs up! The rest of the First Class news continues below:
Original Story: If you've been following our ongoing coverage of X-Men: First Class, then you're already aware that director Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass) has been busy all summer filling the prequel's roster with a wide spectrum of actors, ranging from the well-known (James McAvoy as Professor Xavier) and established (Kevin Bacon as an unknown villain) to the up-and-comers (Michael Fassbender as Magneto; Twilight's Edi Gathegi as the mutant Darwin).
Unfortunately for us carpal tunnel-stricken writers tasked with reporting on each newX-Men casting rumor to come down off the interwebs, Vaughn apparently isn't done expanding First Class's pantheon, despite the fact that 21st Century Fox expects principal photography to begin in London in just two weeks.
The latest to join the ensemble are British actor Jason Flemyng, who recently played Calibos in Clash of the Titans and is well known in England for his roles in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1999) and Snatch (2001), and actress Rose Byrne, who stars opposite Glen Close in Damages.
Flemyng revealed at this year's Movie-Con in London that he is set to play Azazel, a demon-like mutant whom he described as "a teleporter" at his presentation for Jonathan English's upcoming Ironclad movie. More importantly for the series' continuity, Azazel is Nightcrawler's father.
Azazel is introduced to the X-Men universe in "Uncanny X-Men" #428, "The Draco," as the father of Kurt Wagner (a.k.a. Nightcrawler) and the leader of a biblical race of mutants who have a demonic appearance and can teleport between dimensions. Although he is banished to another dimension by an angelic race of mutants, Azazel escapes to father Nightcrawler with the terrorist Mystique.
Byrne, meanwhile, joins the cast as Scottish scientist Moira MacTaggert, a leading expert on genetic mutation and the film's love interest for Charles Xavier (McAvoy). In the later 1979-1980 Uncanny X-Men storyline, MacTaggert is also the mother of one the series' greatest villains - the reality-warping Proteus - though by all accounts that narrative won't be part of First Class.
In addition to McAvoy, Fassbender, and Bacon, Flemyng and Byrne join Alice Eve as Emma Frost, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Caleb Landry Jones as Banshee, and Lucas Till as Havok for First Class, which begins production at the end of the month.
Source: ComingSoon

Friday's Comic-Con Schedule Highlights
We just got our hands on the Friday (July 23) schedule for Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego, and there's just as much delicious geek-fare to entertain you as there was on Thursday's schedule! Moreover, FRIDAY is STAR WARS DAY at Comic-Con!
Even if you didn't manage to nab a ticket to the convention this year, you can still revel in all its glory here at Hollywood.com, where we will continue to keep you up to date with all the event's entertainment-industry news. Full Friday schedule here.
10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans
David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Dan Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&amp;A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25ABC
10:15-11:15 Aloha, Earth!
Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space! A supernatural force has drawn some of sci-fi's giants back to Earth­ -- and they're all gathering on a beautiful and mysterious island in the Pacific. It's Hawaii Five-0, a modern-day reimagining of one of television's most beloved and iconic classics. The epic series, one of the most anticipated new shows of the season, will explore the origins of the Five-0 team and build on an already rich mythology. Executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Star Trek) and Peter M. Lenkov (24), director Len Wiseman (Underworld), and stars Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica) present an exclusive sneak peek at the series and an in depth discussion on how they plan to marry their genre sensibilities with a classic police procedural. Room 6BCF
10:30-11:30 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Screening and Q&amp;A
The Caped Crusader swings back into San Diego as Batman: The Brave and the Bold returns to Comic-Con for its third consecutive year, with an advance screening of an upcoming episode as well as a lively discussion with voice of Batman Diedrich Bader (Surf's Up), executive producer Sam Register (Teen Titans), producers James Tucker (Justice League Unlimited), and Michael Jelenic (The Batman), and voice director Andrea Romano (Superman Doomsday). As a special bonus for fans, the panel will also screen the world premiere trailer for the upcoming and highly anticipated Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Animation series Young Justice...don't miss this Comic-Con exclusive! From Warner Bros. Animation, Batman: The Brave and the Bold airs Fridays at 7:30 pm ET/PT on Cartoon Network, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold—Season 1, Part 1 will be released on DVD August 17. Room 6A
10:30-11:30 Stargate Universe
Follow your Destiny. Catch the Syfy Stargate Universe panel, featuring Robert Carlyle (Dr. Nicholas Rush), David Blue (Eli Wallace), Ming Na (Camile Wray), and Louis Ferreira (Colonel Everett Young), moderated by Robert Cooper (series co-creator). Ballroom 20
10:30-11:30 Summit Entertainment: Drive Angry 3D
A vengeful father hunts down the people who brutally killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby in the newest film shot in 3D from the writer and director of My Bloody Valentine 3D, starring Nicolas Cage, William Fichtner, Billy Burke, and Amber Heard. Join the cast and filmmakers as they showcase never-before-seen footage of this high-octane, blood-spattered road trip through hell! Hall H
11:00-12:00 Bob's Burgers
Creator/executive producer Loren Bouchard (Home Movies) and executive producer Jim Dauterive (King of the Hill) introduce animation fans to their hilarious new series premiering on Fox in January. There will be a screening of never-before-seen footage followed by a Q&amp;A. Room 25ABC
11:00-11:45 Dimension Films: Piranha 3D
Dimension Films presents never-before-seen footage of Piranha 3D, which hits theatres August 20. Director/producer Alex Aja (The Hills Have Eyes), producer Mark Canton (300), producer Gregory Levasseur, and executive producer Alix Taylor are joined by cast members Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O'Connell, Jessica Szohr (Gossip Girl), Steven R. McQueen (Vampire Diaries), Kelly Brook, and Adam Scott for a sneak peek at Piranha 3D and a Q&amp;A! Hall H
11:30-12:30 AMC's The Walking Dead
Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually), Jon Bernthal (The Pacific), Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break), Laurie Holden (The Mist), Emma Bell (Law &amp; Order), series creator/director/executive producer Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), executive producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator), executive producer Robert Kirkman (creator/writer of The Walking Dead comic), makeup artist Greg Nicotero, and Joel Stillerman (AMCs senior VP) discuss the making of AMC's series The Walking Dead, based on the Image comic book series created and written by Robert Kirkman, premiering in October on AMC. Room 6BCF
11:30-12:30 State of the Animation Industry
ASIFA-Hollywood's annual overview of trends in animation. In this turbulent economy, how is the animation industry faring? Are games taking up the slack? Will 2D survive? Moderated by Tom Sito (Shrek, The Lion King), the panel includes Raul Garcia (Aladdin, The Old Woman and the Reaper), Joe Haidar (Beauty and the Beast, Alvin the Squeakquel), Beth Sleven (Night at the Museum, Iron Man 2), and Sean Petrilak (Kung Fu Panda TV show, Lady Gaga and Kanye West videos). Room 9
11:30-12:30 Caprica
Syfy presents an exclusive glimpse into the future of humanity. Featuring Alessandra Torresani (Zoe Graystone), Sasha Roiz (Sam Adama), Ronald D. Moore (co-creator/executive producer), and David Eick (executive producer) and moderated by Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times. Ballroom 20
11:45-12:45 Cartoon Network: Comedy Animation
What time is it? It's Adventure Time with special guests Pendleton Ward (creator), Jeremy Shada (voice of Finn), John DiMaggio (voice of Jake), and Tom Kenny (voice of Ice King). Fans will also get an exclusive look at what's coming this fall from Cartoon Network Studios, including a sneak peek at Regular Show with creator J. G. Quintel. Room 6A
12:00-1:00 Neighbors from Hell
Executive producers Pam Brady (South Park) and Mireille Soria (Madagascar) screen a never-before-seen episode of their newly launched TBS animated series and take questions from the audience, along with their all-star voice cast including Molly Shannon (SNL), Patton Oswalt (My Weakness Is Strong, Ratatouille), Will Sasso (MADtv), Kurtwood Smith (That '70s Show), David Soren (DreamWorks animation veteran), Kyle McCulloch (Mr. Wong), and Tracey Fairaway (Chicago 8). Room 25ABC
12:00-1:00 Skyline
Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, and Rogue Pictures present an exclusive look at the sci-fi thriller Skyline, directed and produced by the Brothers Strause (Alien vs. Predator: Requiem), whose company Hydraulx has provided visual effects for Avatar, Iron Man 2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and 300. In Skyline, strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame, where an extraterrestrial force proceeds to swallow the entire human population off the face of the earth. Colin and Greg Strause unveil an exclusive Comic-Con trailer and scenes from Skyline, along with stars Donald Faison (Scrubs), Eric Balfour (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 24), David Zayas (The Expendables, Dexter), Scottie Thompson (Star Trek), and Brittany Daniel (Club Dread) and moderated by Drew McWeeney. Hall H
12:45-1:45 The Big Bang Theory
It's "Anything Can Happen Friday" at Comic-Con as The Big Bang Theory -- which kicks off a new night of comedy on Thursdays for CBS this fall -- returns to Comic-Con with a special screening and Q&amp;A featuring the show's creators and stars. Resident Big Bang alum Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) moderates a lively discussion featuring executive producers Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) and Bill Prady (Dharma &amp; Greg), as well as series stars Johnny Galecki (Roseanne), Jim Parsons (Garden State), Kaley Cuoco (Charmed), Simon Helberg (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story), and Kunal Nayyar (NCIS). From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory will air Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT this fall on the CBS Television Network, and The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 14. Ballroom 20
1:00-2:00 Motion Picture and Television Production Designers
Motion picture and television production designers might take us to a 1930s prison break, a '50s drag race, a '70s disco, or even today's Comic-Con. Or, like this year's panel, they'll take you to unknown worlds that beggar the imagination—fully realized worlds with alternate architecture, interior design, cars, weapons, and more. In collaboration with a multi-person, highly skilled art department, they will conceive, hire, supervise, and even try to stay on budget as they create whole new worlds of the imagination. Panelists include moderator John Muto (Terminator 2: 3D), Mimi Gramatky (10,000 Days), Barry Robison (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), Kirk Petruccelli (Blade), and Oliver Scholl (The Time Machine). Room 32AB
1:00-2:00 Super
Writer/director James Gunn (Slither), stars Rainn Wilson (The Office), Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings), Nathan Fillion (Firefly), and Michael Rooker (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), and producers Ted Hope (Adventureland) and Miranda Bailey (The Squid and the Whale) reveal footage from their latest feature production Super, including the first peek at Rainn and Ellen Page's costume design. Super is a hyper-real and shockingly funny look at the extremely violent antics of a down-on-his-luck man as he attempts to win his wife back from a glamorous drug dealer by teaming up with a psychopathic teen to become costumed crimefighters. Hall H
2:00-3:00 Star Wars Day: Inside the Force
Lucasfilm Animation artists Dave Filoni (supervising director), Joel Aron (CG supervisor), and Kilian Plunkett (lead designer), take you on an in-depth journey from script to screen, showing how an episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is made and demonstrate the transformation of the animation style from Season One to the upcoming Season Three. Room 7AB
2:00-2:45 Bones
Creator and executive producer Hart Hanson and star David Boreanaz are on hand to discuss what went down in Season 5 of Bones and the cliffhanger finale as well as what's in store for Booth and Brennan in the exciting new Season 6! The panel will be followed with a Q&amp;A session. Ballroom 20
2:15-3:15 The Cape: Sneak Peek and Panel Discussion
One man can make a difference...When Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, is framed for murder and presumed killed, he assumes the identity of his son's favorite comic book superhero -- The Cape -- to reclaim his name, family, and his city from the ruthless ARK Corporation and the masked villain known as Chess. Join the cast and creators including David Lyons (ER), Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles), Dorian Missick (Six Degrees), James Frain (True Blood), Keith David (Gamer), Vinnie Jones (X-Men: Last Stand), Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribbean), composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica), creator/executive producer Thomas Wheeler (Empire), and showrunner/executive producer John Wirth (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) for this sneak peek at the pilot episode and panel discussion. A limited collector edition of The Cape comic book, with a cover by superstar artist John Cassady (Astonishing X-Men), will be given away at the panel. Room 6A
2:15-3:45 Miramax Films: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Producer/co-writer Guillermo del Toro and director Troy Nixey present a first look at their new film Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, a hair-raising, spine-chilling tale of horror about a little girl (Bailee Madison) who is sent to live with her father (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend (Katie Holmes) in the old mansion they are renovating, only to unwittingly unleash malevolent creatures bent on destroying all of them. Hall H
2:30-3:30 Nickelodeon: Penguins, Lemurs, and Pandas, Oh My!
See Penguins of Madagascar executive producers Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley (Kim Possible), supervising producer Nick Filippi (Wolverine &amp; X-Men), creative consultant and voice of "Skipper" Tom McGrath (Madagascar 1 &amp; 2), and cast members John DiMaggio (Futurama), Jeff Bennett (The Misadventures of Flapjack), James Patrick Stewart (Wolverine &amp; X-Men), Danny Jacobs (Epic Movie), and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) present highlights from the upcoming Penguins special "The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel" and perform a table read from a new episode. Then get a special preview of the upcoming Nickelodeon series Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, presented by executive producer Peter Hastings (Pinky and the Brain), supervising producer Bret Haaland (The Penguins of Madagascar), supervising producer Randy Dormans (The Penguins of Madagascar), and supervising director Gabe Swarr (The Penguins of Madagascar). Moderated by Rich Magallanes, VP of animation for Nickelodeon, and Megan Casey, executive-in-charge for Nickelodeon. Room 5AB
3:00-3:45 The Joss Whedon Experience
Every year Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dollhouse, and Serenity, comes to Comic-Con to give fans a wide-ranging and digressive look into what's keeping him busy. Join Joss and a few thousand of his closest friends for the Q&amp;A. Spoiler Alert! Ballroom 20
3:15-4:15 Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Andy Whitfield (McLeod's Daughters) makes his Comic-Con debut, along with Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess), John Hannah (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor), and Viva Bianca (Bad Bush). Executive producer Stephen S. DeKnight (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) joins the cast to discuss the upcoming prequel, titled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, expected to air on Starz in January 2011, and the exclusive content found on the first season Blu-ray discs, available September 21. Room 6BCF
3:30-4:30 Terra Nova
Executive producers Brannon Braga (24, Star Trek: Enterprise) and David Fury (24, Lost), director Alex Graves, and star Jason O'Mara (Life on Mars) offer a glimpse into the highly anticipated epic family adventure 85 million years in the making. This new event drama slated for midseason on FOX comes from the brilliant minds of Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, The Pacific) and former News Corporation president and COO Peter Chernin and follows an ordinary family on an extraordinary journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a part of a massive expedition to save the human race. Room 6A
4:00-5:00 Entertainment Weekly: Girls Who Kick Ass: A New Generation of Heroines
EW moderates this discussion with Jena Malone (Sucker Punch), Anna Torv (Fringe), Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass), Adrianne Palicki (Red Dawn and Friday Night Lights), and Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) about the next generation of female action heroes and the power and privilege of playing young women who are nobody's arm candy. Moderated by Nicole Sperling. Ballroom 20
4:00-6:00 Sony Pictures Entertainment: The Other Guys and The Green Hornet
Two more sneak peeks at upcoming films from Sony Pictures Entertainment!
The Other Guys -- NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. Two desks over and one back, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). You've seen them in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus and eyes closed. They're not heroes -- they're "the Other Guys." But every cop has his day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into New York City's biggest crime. It's the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff? Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, and co-writer/director Adam McKay will be appearing in person.The Green Hornet -- Director Michel Gondry, who makes movies with a special, personal signature, is taking on The Green Hornet—and he's doing it in 3D. Comic-Con audiences, prepare yourselves. In The Green Hornet, Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the son of L.A.'s most prominent and respected media magnate and perfectly happy to maintain a directionless existence on the party scene—until his father (Tom Wilkinson) mysteriously dies, leaving Britt his vast media empire. Striking an unlikely friendship with one of his father's more industrious and inventive employees, Kato (Jay Chou), they see their chance to do something meaningful for the first time in their lives: fight crime. To get close to the criminals, they come up with the perfect cover: they'll pose as criminals themselves. Protecting the law by breaking it, Britt becomes the vigilante The Green Hornet as he and Kato hit the streets. Confirmed to appear in person to unveil this early look at The Green Hornet in 3D are the Hornet himself, Seth Rogen, director Michel Gondry, writer Evan Goldberg, producer Neal Moritz, and actor Christoph Waltz. Hall H
4:30-5:30 Adult Swim Panel Featuring Robot Chicken, Venture Bros, and Metalocalypse
Show creators Seth Green, Matt Senreich, and Tom Root (Robot Chicken), Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer (Venture Bros), and Brendon Small (Metalocalypse) discuss their original series, screen sneak peeks, and answer questions. Keith Crofford, VP of production at Adult Swim, will moderate. Room 6BCF
4:45-5:45 Falling Skies
They're coming. Get the very first look at Steven Spielberg's new series that envisions a world where aliens have invaded and the fate of humanity lies in the hands of a few survivors. Noah Wyle (ER, TNT's The Librarian movies) and Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) join co-executive producer and writer Mark Verheiden (Heroes, Battlestar Galactica) for a Q&amp;A on the new series. Falling Skies premieres on TNT next summer. Room 6A
5:00-6:00 Spotlight on Drew Struzan
See the premiere screening of excerpts from Drew: The Man Behind the Poster, a feature-length documentary film about the career of movie poster artist and Comic-Con special guest Drew Struzan, featuring exclusive interviews with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, Frank Darabont, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and many others. Q&amp;A will include Struzan and filmmakers Erik Sharkey (director), Charles Ricciardi (producer), Greg Boas (editor and cinematographer), and Marc-Antoine Serou (cinematographer). Room 7AB
5:00-6:00 Girls Gone Genre: Movies, TV, Comics, Web
Meet and talk with women who write, read, game, and perform in arenas that are historically and statistically dominated by men. What's it like to try and get a job in a field where most of your competitors and colleagues are guys? Can women write men, and vice versa? And what happens when traditionally "male" genres are reinvented by female writers and embraced by female fans? Sex and the City it ain't! Meet the women who like to play with trucks and Barbies...and Wolverine action figures. And flux capacitors. Featuring Felicia Day (writer/producer, The Guild; actress, The Guild, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog), Kathryn Immonen (writer, Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Runaways, Heralds), Laeta Kalogridis (screenwriter/producer, Shutter Island, Ghost in the Shell, Avatar), Marti Noxon (screenwriter/producer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Mad Men), Melissa Rosenberg (screenwriter/producer, Dexter, The Twilight Saga), and Gail Simone (writer, Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey).Moderated by Io9's Annalee Newitz. Room 24ABC
5:15-6:15 True Blood Panel and Q&amp;A session
Mixing romance, suspense, mystery, and humor, True Blood kicked off its 12-episode third season June 13 on HBO. The series, which has earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series—Drama, follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, Golden Globe winner for True Blood season one; Oscar-winner for The Piano), who can hear people's thoughts, and her soulmate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy-winning HBO series Six Feet Under) created and serves as executive producer of the series, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. The series also features Nelsan Ellis as Lafayette Reynolds, Sam Trammell as Sam Merlotte, Rutina Wesley as Tara Thornton, Deborah Ann Woll as Jessica Hamby, Kristin Bauer van Straten as Pam, Denis O'Hare as Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi, and Joe Manganiello as Alcide Herveaux. (Note: names in bold will be appearing on the panel.) Moderated by Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly. Ballroom 20
6:00-7:00 BBC America's Being Human
Creator/writer Toby Whithouse and cast members Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aidan Turner, and Sinead Keenan are on stage for a fan Q&amp;A and exclusive inside peek at the new U.S. premiere season launching the same weekend as Comic-Con. The Los Angeles Times declared, "Buffy fans -- come out of the Twilight and sink your teeth into this import." Don't miss the chance to get the inside secrets on the double-lives of a werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost, joined this season by George's friend Nina, who's got a mysterious secret of her own. Room 6A
6:00-7:00 Archer
Creator and executive producer Adam Reed (Sealab 2021, Frisky Dingo) screens selected scenes from the FX animated series Archer, which recently won a NowNewNext Award for "Best Television Show You're Not Watching" from cable's Logo network. He will take questions from the audience along with Aisha Tyler, who provides the voice of Agent Lana Kane, the strong, voluptuous, and often exasperated secret agent. Adam and Aisha will discuss the evolution of the series as well as the voice-over process. Room 7AB
6:30-7:30 Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet's RAW Entertainment
Join the crew from RAW Entertainment as they discuss their exciting slate of current and upcoming projects in comics and film. Moderated by Thomas Jane (Hung, The Punisher), and Tim Bradstreet (The Punisher), panelists include Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein), Bruce Jones (Twisted Tales), James Daly (Bad Planet), William Stout (Pan's Labyrinth), Mark Schultz (Cadillacs &amp; Dinosaurs), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), and a surprise guest! Room 4
6:30-7:30 TV Guide Magazine: The 2010 Hot List
Featuring the hottest supernatural/sci-fi talent in front of the camera and behind the scenes from new and returning series! Moderated by TV Guide magazine's executive editor Craig Tomashoff, the panel includes Morena Baccarin (V), Brannon Braga (Terra Nova, Flash Forward), Michael Chiklis (No Ordinary Family), Keith David (The Cape), Zachary Levi (Chuck), David Lyons (The Cape), Elizabeth Mitchell (V), Chi McBride (Human Target), and others to be announced! Ballroom 20
6:30-7:30 Old School American Horror
Featuring legendary horror icons and the hottest names in the genre, the cast of Hatchet II presents an old school American horror panel. Kane Hodder (Friday The 13th), Tony Todd (Candyman), R. A. Mihailoff (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Danielle Harris (Halloween), Tom Holland (Child's Play), and Adam Green (Hatchet) are on hand for an unforgettable panel. Room 32AB
7:30-8:30 Discovery Channel's Reign of the Dinosaurs
Immerse yourself in next spring's TV blockbuster, as an all-star crew reveal the secrets behind Discovery Channel's genre-busting journey back to the Prehistoric. Confirmed panelists include Iain McCaig (Star Wars), David Krentz (Disney's Dinosaur), and Ricardo Delgado (Dark Horse Comics' Age of Reptiles), all of whom will be pitching their stories live! Hosted by producer Erik Nelson (Grizzly Man), the panel goes deep behind the scenes for an in-depth look at how this landmark production is creating stories, characters, and digital models for the new standard in realistic dinosaur storytelling. A once-in-a-decade opportunity to be present at the creation of an epic miniseries. Room 6BCF
7:30-8:30 30 Days of Night: Dark Days
This highly anticipated sequel to the box office hit 30 Days of Night is based on the second book of the cult graphic novel series and will debut on Blu-ray and DVD this fall from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Director/co-screenwriter Ben Ketai (Dusk to Dusk), graphic novel creator/co-writer Steve Niles, stars Keile Sanchez (Lost), Diora Baird (TCM: The Beginning), and Rhys Coiro (Entourage, upcoming Straw Dogs), and producer J. R. Young (Ghosthouse) are on hand for an exclusive sneak peek, panel, and Q&amp;A session. Room 7AB
8:00-9:00 Anthropology of Twilight Zone
Daryl G. Frazetti (anthropologist, Western Nevada College) and Curtis Webster (Spirit of Star Trek host) examine Rod Serling's exploration of the ambiguity of reality as it relates to the human condition, exceeding cultural space/time constraints. This panel examines questions such as: What is the deeper cultural meaning of "perception"? What is the cultural meaning of myth? How might Twilight Zone function as myth? How do Sterling's insights speek to concepts of cultural and linguistic relativism? Don't miss this enthralling discussion on the mix of Serling's magic and science fiction as the presenters follow each twist and turn that moves the meanings of his stories into the mythical realm. Participation highly encouraged! Room 8
8:00-10:00 World Premiere: Batman: Under the Red Hood
Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Animation proudly present the World Premiere of Batman: Under the Red Hood, the eighth entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 movies. In the film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened. The stellar voice cast is led by Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek), Jensen Ackles (Supernatural), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), John DiMaggio (Futurama), Jason Issacs (the Harry Potter films), and Vincent Martella (Phineas &amp; Ferb). Executive producer Bruce Timm (DCU films), director Brandon Vietti (Superman: Doomsday), award-winning comics writer Judd Winick, casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano (DCU films) and members of the voice cast will be around for a postscreening panel that will reveal details behind the making of the film, a glimpse of the 2011 DC Universe Animated Original Movies slate, and a first look at the next DCU film, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. Warner Home Video will distribute Batman: Under the Red Hood on Blu-Ray and DVD, OnDemand and For Download on July 27, 2010. Note: a second encore screening will take place in the same room beginning at 10:15. Ballroom 20
8:30-9:30 Ironclad Panel and Footage
A medieval Magnificent Seven that combines the visceral action of 300 with the impassioned heroism and romance of Braveheart, Ironclad is a violent action thriller that tells the true story of a motley crew of tough, battle hardened warriors, who withstood several brutal and bloody months under siege, in a desperate bid to defend their country’s freedom. Starring James Purefoy, Paul Giamatti, Brian Cox, Kate Mara, Jason Flemyng, and Derek Jacobi. Filmmakers Jonathan English (Minotaur), Andrew Curtis (Lost In La Mancha), and Rick Benattar (Shoot 'em Up) will screen an 11-minute battle sequence from the film and host a Q&amp;A afterward. Special surprise guests to appear! Room 7AB
9:30-10:30 The Blood Factory
To unlock the bone-chilling secrets of The Blood Factory, join Danny De Vito (actor/director/star of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), John Albo (writer/director of Flexing with Monty), Nick Bonamy (art director of The Blood Factory), "Tkay" Raul Garcia (website developer), Frank Ippolito (effects makeup, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 &amp; 3), and William Mesa (visual effects, Army of Darkness). Relish new short films from The Blood Factory: tales of horror that will conjure nightmares to disturb your sleep for nights to come. Room 5AB

Source: First Showing
Check out these new pictures from the set of the Clash of the Titans remake including Sam Worthington as Perseus and Liam Neeson as Zeus.
Go here to see more photos.
Clash ot the Titans is directed by Louis Leterrier and opens on March 26, 2010. The film also Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Jason Flemyng, Alexa Davalos, Izabella Miko, Nicholas Hoult and Pete Postlethwaite.

Maybe it was the 3-D glasses that helped, but the game went into overtime this weekend for Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over.The third installment in the franchise about a family of super spies took the top spot with a healthy $32.5 million*, making it the highest opener of the three. The first Spy Kids opened 2001 with $26.5 million, while the second, Spy Kids: Island of Lost Dreams, opened 2002 with $18.7 million. The ghostly swashbuckler Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl held on to second place with $22.4 million while the naughty actioner Bad Boys II dropped from the top of the heap last week to third with $22 million, barely slipping under Pirates .Not as many people, however, cared to see Angelina Jolie strut her stuff again. The outrageously stunt-laden sequel Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life opened at No. 4 with $21.7 million, making less than half of what the original 2001 smash hit Lara Croft: Tomb Raider did when it opened at $47.7 million. The heart-tugging Depression drama Seabiscuit rounded out the top five's home stretch with $21.5 million, though it managed to take the highest per average screening award; opening in 1,989 theaters, its $10,809 per theater average was the highest of any film playing wide this weekend.Other notable indies opening this week included the Bob Dylan starrer Masked and Anonymous, which debuted at $32,167, and the controversial Buffalo Soldiers at $29,000.Overall, box office numbers were up this week, nearly 10 percent from the same weekend last year and nearly 6 percent from last weekend. THE TOP TENDimension Films' PG-rated Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over premiered at the top of the box office with an ESTIMATED $32.5 million in 3,344 theaters ($9,719 per theater).In this third installment, junior agents Juni and Carmen Cortez have to go into a video game and shut it down before it and its creator can take over the world.Written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, it stars Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Sylvester Stallone, Salma Hayek and Ricardo Montalban.Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13 rated fantasy actioner Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl held on to second in its third week with an ESTIMATED $22.4 million (-34%) at 3,416 theaters (+57 theaters; $6,557 per theater). Its cume is $176.1 million.Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.Sony Picture's R rated buddy actioner Bad Boys II dropped from its first place perch to third with an ESTIMATED $22 million (-53%) at 3,202 theaters (+16 theaters; $6,871 per theater). This high-octane sequel, which follows narcotics detectives Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett in another case, has made $88.4 million so far.Directed by Michael Bay, it stars Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jordi Molla, Gabrielle Union and Peter Stormare.Paramount Pictures' PG-13-rated action-packed Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life debuted at a disappointing fourth place with an ESTIMATED $21.7 million in 3,222 theaters ($6,754 per theater).In her latest adventure pic, Lara Croft journeys to an underwater temple in search of lost treasures. During her expedition, she stumbles upon a sphere that contains the key to Pandora's box.Directed by Jan De Bont, it stars Angelina Jolie, Gerald Butler, Chris Barrie, Ciaran Hinds and Noah Taylor.Universal Pictures' PG-13-rated tear-jerker Seabiscuit opened with an ESTIMATED $21.5 million in 1,989 theaters. Its $10,809 per theater was the highest average of any film playing wide this week.Set in the 1930s, this is a true story about a down-and-out racehorse named Seabiscuit pulled out of obscurity by three men and turned into a national hero.Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper. *Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.As the box office numbers dropped off considerably, Warner Bros.' R rated sci-fi actioner Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines fell two places to No. 6 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $5 million (-46%) at 2,689 theaters (-744; $1,895 per theater). Its cume is approximately $137.4 million.Directed by Jonathan Mostow, it stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken.Twentieth Century Fox's PG-13 rated period thriller The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen crashed four places to come in seventh place in its third week with an ESTIMATED $4.8 million (-52%) at 2,532 theaters (-470; $1,919 per theater). Its cume is approximately $52.7 million.Directed by Stephen Norrington, it stars Sean Connery, Naseeruddin Shah, Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Stuart Townsend, Shane West and Jason Flemyng.Universal Pictures' PG rated spy spoof Johnny English slipped three places to No. 8 in its second week with an ESTIMATED $4.3 million (53%) at 2,236 theaters ($1,923 per theater). Its cume is 18.4 million.In the film, the British Secret Service calls upon bumbling secret agent Johnny English when a plan to filch the monarchy's Crown Jewels comes to their attention.Directed by Peter Howitt, it stars Rowan Atkinson, Natalie Imbruglia, Ben Miller and John Malkovich.Buena Vista/Disney and Pixar Animation Studios' G rated computer-animated feature Finding Nemo fell three spots in its ninth week to No. 9 with an ESTIMATED $4 million (-45%) at 2,025 theaters (-455 theaters; $1,975 per theater). Its cume is approximately $312.6 million.Directed and co-written by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton, it features the voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe and Brad Garrett.MGM's PG-13 rated Legally Blonde 2: Red, White &amp; Blonde rounded out the top ten in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $2.6 million (-57%) at 2,120 theaters (-1,085 theaters; $1,250 per theater). Its cume is approximately $82.1 million. Directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld, it stars Reese Witherspoon, Sally Field, Regina King, Bob Newhart and Jennifer Coolidge. OTHER OPENINGSSony Pictures Classics' PG-13-rated Masked and Anonymous debuted with an ESTIMATED $32,167 in 4 theaters ($8,042 per theater). Set somewhere, sometime in an unnamed country torn by civil war, concert promoter Uncle Sweetheart is scheming to find a headliner for a benefit show--benefitting himself, that is. Veteran TV producer Nina Veronica is put on the job to make sure the concert is an international spectacle. The clincher? Uncle Sweetheart manages to get the iconic cult star Jack Fate, just released from prison, to perform.Directed by Larry Charles, it stars John Goodman, Jessica Lange, Luke Wilson, Jeff Bridges, Angela Bassett and Bob Dylan, in his screen debut.Miramax Film's R-rated Buffalo Soldiers opened with an ESTIMATED $29,000 in 6 theaters ($4,833 per theater).In Stuttgart, West Germany in 1989, just as the Berlin Wall is about to fall, Ray Elwood of the 317th Supply Battalion has turned his military servitude into a blossoming network of black market deals--more out of boredom than ambition. When a new top sergeant arrives with the avowed intention of cleaning up the base, Elwood thinks can handle the new blood. If he could only find out what to do with the $5 million in stolen arms that just landed in his lap…Directed by Gregor Jordan, it stars Joaquin Phoenix, Scott Glenn, Anna Paquin and Ed Harris.WEEKEND COMPARISONThe Top 12 films this weekend grossed an ESTIMATED $145.5 million, up 9.91 percent from last year's take of $132.4 million. The Top 12 films were also up 5.20 percent from last weekend when they grossed $138.3 million.Last year's top three included: New Line Cinema's PG-13-rated Austin Powers in Goldmember debuted on top with $73 million in 3,613 theaters ($20,225 per theater); DreamWorks' R rated drama Road to Perdition came in second in its third week of release with $11.1 million at 2,250 theaters (+91 theaters; $4,936 per theater average), Sony's G rated Stuart Little 2 dropped to third in its second week with $10.6 million at 3,282 theaters (+ 27; $3,233 per theater).
Go to our Box Office section for recent weekend movie analysis.

Spanning from WWI to the 21st century Eric Roth’s screenplay (based loosely on a 1922 short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald) tells the unique story of a man named Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt). He is born in New Orleans as a very old baby the equivalent of a man in his 80s who then ages backward into youth over the better part of a century. The film is told in flashback by a very old dying woman Daisy (Cate Blanchett) who recounts her tale to her daughter (Julia Ormond) from a hospital bed during Hurricane Katrina. Left on the doorstep of a retirement home one night by his father (Jason Flemyng) Benjamin is brought up by Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) who runs the place. While there he meets a young girl Daisy who will become a key figure -- romantically and otherwise -- in his life. Ben does have some grand adventures: He goes to work on a boat sees sea battles during WWII finds love with an older married woman (Tilda Swinton) -- and gets progressively younger as the decades fly by. It all manages to be alternately haunting romantic funny epic emotional and incredibly moving and will likely to stay with you a lifetime. Brad Pitt manages to deliver a thoughtful and subtle performance through all the special effects makeup and CGI. He does so much just by using his eyes. Cate Blanchett is equally fine as she plays Daisy from a teenager to an old woman and matches Pitt in bringing an entire lifetime skillfully to light. Her aging makeup is completely natural and she’s very moving in the hospital scenes opposite Ormond. Henson is just marvelous as Queenie a warm and understanding soul. Swinton is elegant and memorable in her few crucial encounters with Ben and plays beautifully off Pitt. Jared Harris (TV’s The Riches) as the colorful Captain Mike who hires Ben on his tug boat and Flemyng (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) as Ben’s father are also effective in their brief screen time. Interestingly Benjamin Button has been gestating for decades in the Hollywood firmament but needed time for the proper technology to catch up to it. Director David Fincher (Zodiac Fight Club) with his early background at George Lucas’ ILM proves to be the perfect choice to marry a compelling story with spectacular visual effects achievement. He did not want to do the film unless the technology allowed one actor to play the role throughout the course of the film. Remarkably they were able to achieve this superimposing Brad Pitt’s face and eyes into all the incarnations of Ben Button. In one sequence Pitt looks just like he did in Thelma and Louise. It’s an amazing feat. He has seamlessly created a unique universe without ever bringing attention to it advancing the art of screen storytelling leaps and bounds ahead of everything else that has come before. Benjamin Button is a plaintive and provocative meditation of life death and what we do while we are here. It’s the stuff of dreams.

Made feature film debut in "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book"; directed by Stephen Sommers

Played Azazel, a Hellfire Club member in the "X-Men" prequel, "X-Men: First Class"

Starred in the British play "Antarctica"

Re-teamed with Sommers for the thriller "Deep Rising"

Summary

This handsome lanky, auburn-haired British actor first came to the attention of American audience as the brash young Scottish physician who learns humanity in a small village in the period British series "Doctor Finlay" (PBS, 1993-1994). Jason Flemyng earned unanimous critical praise and was marked as an actor to watch. He delivered on this promise with a one-two punch as a seemingly respectable engineer with a hidden sadistic streak in Angela Pope's "The Hollow Reed" (1996) and as a self-absorbed HIV-positive dancer who reluctantly finds romance in Nancy Meckler's "Alive and Kicking/Indian Summer" (1997).